Why Progressives Should Celebrate Israel’s 67th Birthday

[shira]

Israel has a lot of problems, but its functioning democracy and liberal heritage means they can be fixed. Those on the Left should help it.

Israel turns 67 today. The “old” Israel of the Kibbutz, the farming commune, and the Histadrut, the almighty labor union, the Israel of plucky pioneers and Holocaust survivor-socialists, used to be the Left’s darling, toasted at the Socialist International. If Israel was once unduly romanticized, with no flaws acknowledged, Israel today is unduly demonized, with few virtues recognized by too many critics. Can progressives transcend the politics of the moment today and toast Israel’s historic, liberal, achievements?

Lately, liberals have mourned that “Bibi Netanyahu’s Israel” is no longer their “grandfather’s Israel.” Overlooking such ridiculous reductionism defining 8.35 million free Jewish and Arab citizens by one leader who only earned 1 in 4 votes, let’s admit: nostalgia is a mind-numbing drug. Israel of the 1950s was a tougher, unhappier place, filled with refugees traumatized by the European Holocaust and the Arab expulsion of 800,000 Jews. Until 1966, Israelis Arabs lived under military rule without the democratic rights they exercise today; demonstrated in March when 63.5 percent of eligible Israeli Arabs voted. Unlike today, there was no Palestinian Authority, and, Israel’s consensus did not acknowledge the Palestinians as a people with legitimate rights....

...Despite wars and terrorism, despite most immigrants coming from undemocratic Middle Eastern and Eastern European countries, Israeli democracy has flourished, miraculously....

...Despite wars and terrorism, despite most immigrants coming from undemocratic Middle Eastern and Eastern European countries, Israeli democracy has flourished, miraculously. In the 1950s, Israel accepted 800,000 “Sephardic” refugees expelled by Morocco and Iraq, Algiers and Egypt, as citizens. Despite some, initial, “Ashkenazi” contempt for the immigrants, today, when Americans visit Israeli schools, they see natural, authentic multiculturalism in action.

more:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/04/22/why-progressives-should-celebrate-israel-s-67th-birthday.html

[aranthus]

1. I don't think he understands the Left.

Progressives aren't liberals. They aren't Democrats. They're Leftists. Their priorities aren't the same as liberals or moderate Democrats. Liberal and moderate Democrats care about the things the author writes about. Progressives, if they care about those things at all, care about other things more. Israel is things that Leftism hates. It is Western, Capitalist, Religious, Jewish and a friend of the United States. If he's trying to reach liberal Democrats, he's preaching to the choir. If he's trying to reach Progressives, he's talking to the other team.

[geek tragedy]

3. Well, no, Israel is a rightwing country that practices apartheid, which does rankle

the noses of progressives.

And liberals who decide to apply their liberal values when discussing Israel.

As opposed to "LOEBI" types (Liberal On Everything But Israel)

There's a reason that support of Israel is correlated with rightwing ideology in the United States.

[aranthus]

12. Liberals generally don't believe the apartheid lie. n/t

[shira]

23. Must rankle you that Amnesty & HRW won't accuse Israel of apartheid.

And they're far from shy when it comes to bashing Israel.

Of course, you know what real apartheid is better than they do.

[shira]

7. Good point. n/t

[geek tragedy]

2. "Israel’s consensus did not acknowledge the Palestinians as a people with legitimate rights."

It still doesn't.

Israeli democracy is fantastic for Jews, not so much for everyone else there.

[DanTex]

4. Is it because they finally ended the apartheid? Oh, wait, no that didn't happen...

[bravenak]

5. I do not celebrate apartheid states.

And with how Israel treats blacks (you know folks who look like me), I find it outrageous that anyone thinks I should celebrate that racist state that would birth control me against my will and deport me for being black. Netanyahu basically called blacks a scourge, and was totally supported.

[oberliner]

8. First Black Miss Israel Titi Aynaw Reflects Growing Diversity of Jewish State

When Yityish Aynaw immigrated from Ethiopia to Israel at age 12, she was thrust into an Israeli classroom. An orphan lacking Hebrew skills, Aynaw says she relied on other kids and her own sheer ambition to get through.

Ten years later Aynaw, 22, is the first Ethiopian-Israeli to be crowned Miss Israel – a title she hopes to use to showcase Israel’s diversity.

“Israel really accepts everybody,” she told JTA. “That I was chosen proves it.”

http://forward.com/news/173939/first-black-miss-israel-titi-aynaw-reflects-growin/

[bravenak]

9. Yeah. Tell me more about the deportations and the rallies.

We've had black miss America's too. We are still super racist. I see Israel as slightly worse. A black beauty queen proves nothing.

[oberliner]

10. What about Operation Solomon?

Thousands of Ethiopian Jews who were brought to Israel in the 1990s.

The population is now well over 100,000.

America was founded on slavery. The majority of black people in America are descendants of those who came over in chains.

There is no comparison.

[bravenak]

11. I was a kid in the 90's.

Past good acts do not cancel out bad. I know I'm a descendant of slaves and I constantly critisize the racism of the US. Israel has no excuse for how they treat black today, it's not tradition, it's pure racism and racial supremacy.

What about blacks who are NOT jews, like me? How are they treated? Like shit. Worse than me here.

[oberliner]

16. I strongly disagree with your assessment

Last edited Sat Apr 25, 2015, 08:43 PM - Edit history (1)

I would encourage you to learn more about the 100,000+ strong population of Israelis who were originally from Ethiopia (or descended from those who immigrated a few decades ago). They do face discrimination, certainly, but nothing like what we see in the US.

With respect to your other point, which blacks who are not Jews are you talking about? Do you mean recent asylum seekers from Africa? If so, I agree that Israel should do more to help those who are escaping conflicts at home and risking their lives to come to Israel. I would point out that these are people who must pass through several other countries on their way to Israel - but choose not to seek asylum in, for example, Egypt or other neighboring states, but rather continue on to Israel at great risk to themselves.

If you'd like to learn more about the Beta Israel (not just in the 90s but today as well), I would love for you to take the time to read this:

http://blogs.denverpost.com/captured/2013/08/29/ethiopia-israel-immigration-airlift-falash-mura/6390/

Some really beautiful photos included there.

[bravenak]

19. I'll check it out, thanks.

[Israeli]

28. Check out todays top news ....

...when you are done please bravenak :

Ethiopians protest racist attack, clash with police: 'Israel will be like Baltimore'

After Ethiopian says he was attacked by immigration officials, Israel's Ethiopian community takes to the streets to protest.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4652484,00.html

[NaturalHigh]

14. A lot of people will never see any good in Israel.

You're spot on about Operation Solomon. A lot of people are still alive and living well because of Israel's actions.

[guillaumeb]

26. and Herman Cain is a Republican.

Thus "proving" that the GOP is NOT the party of racists. Correct?

Can you and Ms Aynaw say token?

I would be more impressed if a Palestinian woman was crowned Miss Israel.

[NaturalHigh]

15. Huh? What are you talking about?

[King_David]

17. What about Gays?

How does Palestine treat Gays? Especially the 2nd state Gaza , the 1st state West Bank is culturally medieval where it comes to Gays.

Israel affords LGBT equal rights.

[bravenak]

18. I have no idea what that has to do with my comment.

[King_David]

21. Progressives generally support Gay rights

Except for Hewish Gays in Israel , the BDS throws then under the bus.

Of course not all BDS peeps are progressive , one of the USA most famous BDS supporter/ organizer/ cheerleader is an old KKK grand wizard.

[bravenak]

22. What's this about The KKK?

David. I just don't get you.

[leftynyc]

6. I will be celebrating

the only country in the neighborhood that as a Jewish woman I can walk around not covered, attend my gay friend's wedding and get an abortion without worrying about getting stoned to death or acid thrown in my face. You bet I'll be celebrating.

[NaturalHigh]

13. I celebrate Israel and the hope it represents.

[King_David]

20. Celebrating here

And all my friends and family too .

[shira]

24. I’m a Progressive Liberal Who Supports Israel, And Here’s Why (Part I)

For the past twenty years I have worked on social justice issues in the U.S. I have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to social justice and equity for all people. Thus, many of my friends and colleagues are surprised to find out about my support for Israel. I do not share those beliefs openly with colleagues, because it is not central to my everyday job (I work on poverty issues in the U.S.). The only time I offer up my opinion is when others go first. I know that supporting Israel is frowned upon in progressive circles. However, I think that it is a perfectly progressive value. This belief is built on a set of foundational ideas:

-Israel is the ancient homeland of the Jewish people, whence they were exiled.

-In every place in which they have lived, Jews were/are treated as foreigners, or tolerated as a lower class of people.

-Zionism, as an idea, is a 2,000+ year old belief that Jews have the right to live in their ancient homeland as a nation — a right that was taken from them by force.

-Opposing the idea of Zionism is, literally, to oppose the right of the Jewish people to live, as a nation, in their ancient homeland, and thus it leads to Antisemitism.

-Antisemitism predates the re-birth of the nation of Israel by more than one thousand years.

-Opposing Israel (I mean, its very existence) is to advocate for the annihilation of an entire people.

-Unwavering support for the continued existence of Israel doesn’t equate to unwavering support for the Israeli government. I support the nation of Israel, but will offer constructive criticism when I see fit.

-This is my Zionism. Every opinion I hold on the issue of Israel is built on this foundation.

http://www.israellycool.com/2015/04/27/reader-post-im-a-progressive-liberal-who-supports-israel-and-heres-why-part-i/

[shira]

25. I’m a Progressive Liberal Who Supports Israel, And Here’s Why (Part 2): Israel as an Apartheid State

In 2001, just prior to the terrorist attacks of 9/11, some of my friends and colleagues attended the World Conference on Racism, Xenophobia, and Discrimination held in Durban, South Africa. It was an amazing experience for them, and for us, a great honor to send representatives from communities of color in the U.S.A, calling attention to all these issues in the Land of the Free.

Unfortunately, my friends brought back lots of anti-semitic literature they picked up from the Palestinian representatives. At a conference where the world was supposed to make a united stand against racism, anti-semitism was rampant. My colleagues eagerly showed me books full of anti semitic cartoons — hardly distinguishable from Nazi-era cartoons — which they saw as examples of media as a tool for speaking truth to power.

Needless to say, I consider that 2001 conference an utter failure.

And so, four years before the launch of the Israeli Apartheid Week actions, anti-semitism became permissible under the pretense of raising awareness about Israeli oppression. It was thanks to this conference that I became politically aware about anti-Israel ideology.

http://www.israellycool.com/2015/04/29/reader-post-im-a-progressive-liberal-who-supports-israel-and-heres-why-part-2-israel-as-an-apartheid-state/

[guillaumeb]

27. Celebrate 67 years of land theft?

What I have read in this post is basically a whitewash of the actual history of the State of Israel. Whitewashed out is the continuing and expanding land theft, the continuing murder of Palestinian children, the usage of white phosphorous in civilian areas, the bombing of schools and hospitals.

What I do not see here is the constant demolition of houses and orchards, the bombing of electrical generating plants, the treating of an entire group of Israelis as third class citizens in fact and in law. Instead we have a fantasy that could have been produced by Fox News with backing from Sheldon Adelson.

Israel is a pariah in the world community, but a pariah with a powerful backer. Any progressive values that individual Israelis hold are outweighed by the brutal nature of the State of Israel. Unfortunate, but true.

[shira]

29. All you see is Original Sin. Israel is evil, period. No matter what they do...

I suppose anyone could look at America the same way, WRT native Americans, foreign wars, domestic racism....

No matter what happens here, America must be given back, it's evil, all its politicians are just as bad as one another as none are truly left-wing, and therefore it must be BDS'd out of existence!

Is that how you feel about America?

[guillaumeb]

30. Do you only see in black and white?

Accurate historical knowledge is essential to understanding history. A mythologized history that rewrites all the bad behavior or pretends that there was no bad behavior leads to repetition of mistakes. THAT is why the US has always been at war. Because every war is always seen as defensive, why every war represents a noble struggle against existential threats to the very existence of the US.

And that "fantasy narrative" type of simplistic thinking typifies the Israeli government justification for their actions as well. The aggressor, whether the US or Israel, is transformed into the victim who is forced to respond.

[shira]

31. No, Israel's enemies see things that way. It's comical. n/t